Internal-bath apparatus



March 24. 1925. 1,530,969

s. K. WILSON INTERNAL BATH APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9', 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR -March 24, 1925. 1,530,969 S. K. WILSON INTERNAL BATH APPARATUS Filed De c. 9, 1922- 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STINA K. WILSON, OF RICHMOND HILII, NEW YORK.

ETERNAL-BATH APPARATUS.

Application filed December 9, 1922. Serial No. 605,760.

Mon.

It is not generally recognized, but nevertheless it is a fact, thata large percentage, at least, of the various ills of humanity are attributable to irregular habits resulting in a more or less congested and uncleanly condition of the colon and lower intestines. It is also recognized in many cases, at least,

' that physics or purgatives are not sufiicient to overcome this condition, and on the other hand oftentime rather. aggravate the same. It is-furthermore recognized that the internal bath in the form of the more or less commonly known enema is undoubtedly advantageous, but is not sufficient in many cases, particularly when chronic, to relieve or overcome the source of many troubles. The object of my invention is the provision of an apparatus by which, either withthe assistance of a nurse or by himself, the patient may readily cleanse the colon and lower intestines of the mucous and other poisonous slimy matters which inevitably accumulate there, and in order to'obtain the best results these injurious matters should be removed by being washed away after all or substantiall all the waste or solid matter is removed y a suitable physio or enema. My invention preferably. comprises a tank or receptacle in which the water or otherliquid employed may be suitably supplied and maintained at a given temperature, together with apparatus by which the liquid may be conve ed from the tank and caused to flow, preerably continuously, to and from the colonand lower intestines of idle patient, suitable means being also provided or the patient to rest upon and for the displosal of the waste matter as the same flows om the body. Furthermore the apparatus may be constructed in such a manner as to be placed in hospitals and homes as an addition to the be so constructed tirely new installations.

e, apparatus made in accordance with my'invention will be hereinafter ,more parresent equipment, or may as to form. a part of en-' ticularly described in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in Which,

'Fig. 1 is an elevation of the internal bath apparatus made in accordance with one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of the patients support or board taken on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a form of apparatus comprising my invention adapted for installation in new buildings, such as hospitals, residences and the like.

Fig. 4 is a partial section illustrating the manner in which thetank as shown in Fig. 3 is mounted and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing the manner in which the board or patients support may be disposed of when not in use.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will in carrying out the invention I employ a tank 10. This may be made of any suitable configuration and of any desirable materialand preferably is provided with "a cover 11. The tank may be supported in any desired manner so as to be placed at the necessary elevation to obtain suflicient pressure for ,the purposes intended in the use of the liquid as the same is supplied from the tank. The tank may be filled by supply pipes 12 and 13, the one for hot water or other liquid, and the other for cold water or other liquid. In a suitable position in the pipe 12 there is a valve 14, and similarly in a suitable position in .the pipe 13 there is'a valve 15. These valves, as will be understood, are employed to control the flow of the water or other liquid through the pipes and the pipes are connected to any suitable sources of supply. It therefore follows that by the manipulation of the valves the tank may be filled and maintained with the necessary quantityof liquid therein at substantially any required temperature. In order, however, to ensure that the tem erature of the liquid in the tank will be uniform I may fit the cover with a small motor indicatedat 16 with the shaft 11 thereof passing through the cover and a fan-like or propeller structure or agitator 18 in order to cause a circulation of the water to effect a'uniform temperature there of. I In a suitable position, preferably at the bottom of the tank, the same is provided provided at its extremity with I be seen that with an outlet 19, and connected in a pipe pipe 20 I employ a rectal tube may be made separately, or the tube 23 may be adjustably connected to the tube 22. The outlet orifice at the end of the tube 22 is indicated at 25. The inlet orifice to the tube 23 is indicated at 26, and the outlet orifice .of the tube 23 is indicated at 27.

The apparatus also includes a patients support which may be in the form of a board or couch .28. This couch is preferably supported on legs 29 and its surface is '2 inclined longitudinally and slightly curved transversely so as to prevent any 'of the waste liquid from flowing otherwise than to the outlet or drain 30 from which, by asuitable pipe connection 31 or otherwise, this waste may be conveyed to a receptacle 32.

In this structure the patients support and the receptacle are independent of each other and separately adapted to be placed in the necessary position for use. The apparatus also includes a pipe 24 passing through the bottom of the tank and into the same to a predetermined extent to form an overflow for the tank and through which, as will be apparent, any excess of the liquid in the tank may pass to the drain at the lower end of thepatients support.

In the use of the apparatus, the patient preferably lies on the couch or support on I the right side and the rectal tube 22 is passed into the rectum and into and through the colon and lower intestines to the desired extent, depending, of course, upon the height to which it is desired to-flush or cleanse the parts, The inlet end of the rectal tube 23 is preferably adjusted so as to remain approximately at the rectum so that the water or other liquid suitably prepared for the purposes intended may pass through the rectal tube 22 and after having flushed the intestines and colon may pass with the mucous and slimy and gaseous matters through the rectal tube 23 to the outlet or discharge from the support to the waste tank or receptacle32. This form of the apparatus is adapted for use in places that are already established, and as will be apparent may be readily installed at comparatively small ekpense.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, which is more especially adapted for new installations, it will be seen that I employ a slab 33 or similar structure which is adapted to be set in .a wall. Like the apparatus hereinbefore described this includes a tank 34 made in any desired sha sand of any suitable substance and pre crably mounted upon supporting guideways or tracks 35 by means of brackets 36 secured to or made integral with the rear wall of the tank so that the tank may be adjusted to various heights and secured in any desired position within the limits of its adjustment by means of set screws 37 or otherwise in order to vary the head of the liquid supplied in the flushing apparatus and thus regulate the pressure of the same. In this form of the invention there are supply pipes 38 and '39 for the hot and cold liquid supply and fitted respectively with valves 40 and 41 by means of which the flow of the liquid supplied to the tank may be controlled. In this form of the invention, however, the tank is preferably fitted with a partition wall 42 dividing the same into compartments 43 and 44, the

compartment 43 being the supply compartment into which the supply pipes empty, and the compartment 44 being that from which the liquid is coi'iveyed for the flushing purposes. It will be apparent that with this construction the water being carried to the bottom of the compartment 43 is initially mixed therein and is caused to flow over the upper edge of the partition wall 42 before passing into the compartment 44 where it may be additionally mixed by means of a motor 45 mounted on the cover 46 of the tank and the motor shaft 47 which turns the fan or propeller like agitator placed adjacent the bottom of the compartment 44 in order to ensure an even temperature in the supply liquid before the same leaves the tank. In this construction the outlet from the tank is indicated at 49. To this is connected a pipe 50 in which there is a valve 51 for regulating the flow of the liquid from the tank. The overflow pipe from the tank in this form of the invention is indicated at 52. As in the other form of the invention a flexible rectal tube 53 is attached at one end to the discharge end of the supply pipe 50 and a discharge rectal tube 54 is assoclated ,the rectal tube 53.

In-this structure the couch or boardfor supporting the patient is indicated at 55 and is preferably inclined longitudinally as well asprovided with a slightly concave surface transversely inorder to provide for proper drainage to carry away the refuse 1n the flushing operation. As illustrated the patients support 55 may be suitably hinged, as indicated at 56, to a carriage 57 adapted to move into and out ofa compartment 58 provided for this purpose in the wall in which the slab 33 is mounted, the slab being provided with an opening 59 to permit the atients support to inged to the underside of the patients support there are legs 60 which, as illustrated,

ass through the same.

y is

also may be folded against the bottom of the sup ort when the same is not in use. Also as ifiustrated, the opening in the slab 59 may be provided with a cover 61 in order to close the o ening and completely conceal the support oard when the same is not in use. In this instance, as in the other form of the invention, the sup ort board is provided at the lowerend wltii a discharge 0 ening -62 to which may be connected a flexib e or other pipe 63 adapted to be connected to an outlet connection 64 leadin to the sewer or other convenient lace of dlscharge. Also as illustrated, in t is, as well as in the other form of the invention, the tank may be provided.

with' a thermometer 65 in order for the op erator to determine the temperature of the liquid being used. The use of this form of the invention is precisely similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. a

- I claim as my invention:

1. An internal bath apparatus comprisin a slab, a tank, means for adjusting the ta to position relatively to the slab, means for supplying a liquid to the tank and controlling the temperature thereof, a patients su port and drain board associated with t e slab, and devices leading from the tank for continuously conveying liquid from the tank and causing the same to pass to and from the colon and intestines of a patient to flush the same.

2. An internal bath apparatus comprising f the said patients su a slab, a tank, means to position on the sla supplying a. liquid to for adjusting the tank means for constantly the tank and regulatmg the temperature thereof, a patients sup 3. An internal bath apparatus comprising a slab, a tank, means for adjusting the tan to position on the slab, means for constantly suppl ing a liquid to the tank and control-- hngt e temperature thereof, a patients support. and drain board adapted to permit a patient to lie thereon in a reclinin osition, there being. an opening ini-the said s viding for communication with 'a' compartment at the rear thereof adapted to receive port and drain board, a carriage slidablyad mstable in the said compartment, means for hingedly connecting" the patients support and drain board to thecarriage, means for supporting the patients support and drain board inposition for use, and devices for conveying the liquid from the tank and permitting the same to flow continuously from the colon and intestines of a patient to flush the same.

Signed by me this 24th day of N ovember, 1922.

STINA K. WILSUN.

ab pro- 

